(From his devotional book “From the Pastor Volume I It is written”)
Part I: The Lullaby Syndrome
Webster defines syndrome as “a number of symptoms occurring together and characterizing a specific disease.”
A church becomes infected with the Lullaby Syndrome when the members surrender to the slumbering tunes of indifference and lukewarm hearts. They are lulled into unproductive apathy in the work to which the Lord Jesus has called them. Their slumbering eyes lose all direction and purpose in the cause of Christ. The membership becomes irritable like little children fighting sleep, and nothing appeases their inner agitations. Petty things become sources of divisions.
In Rev. 3 the Laodicean church is an example of a church infected with the Lullaby Syndrome. Jesus says to them, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Their state of sleeping in “lala land” while having a total disregard to the spiritual warfare around them makes the Lord of Glory sick to the point of vomiting. It is an abandonment of the living faith delivered unto the prophets, the apostles, and the saints of old. It is falling asleep while on guard duty as the enemies of the truth stalk the church in the darkest of times.
Paul writes: “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light...Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Eph. 5:14,16) Again he writes: “...knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” (Rom. 13:11,12) Hear the alarm! The enemy is upon us! There is far too much dialogue at the well, instead of more laboring in the fields that makes one thirsty for the water IN the well.
Revival means to make alive again. When pastors and church members have been lulled into a spiritual sleep by the soft lyrics of apathy, there is a desperate need for an awakening, a making alive again. When the eyes of the heart become dim and full of sleep, and the sense of urgency is all gone, there is an overwhelming need to hear the alarm for REVIVAL. Awake; revive in the cause of Christ!!!
Part II: The Unresponsive Symptom
“If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” (Mal. 2:2) “...the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.” (Jer. 12:11) “...they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger... yet he laid it not to heart.” (Is. 42:24,25)
The Hebrew word rendered “lay to” means to set, make ready, to give serious attention to. It is used in a nautical sense to say that the heart has drifted off course and desperately needs to be set back on a steady course towards the right port of destination.
When disciples of the Lord Jesus allow the uncertain winds of carnality to fill their sails, they are quickly blown off course to wander in the dark and stormy depths of ungodliness. If they will not hear the words of the Captain, if they will not quickly and rightly respond to the commands and warnings of the Keeper of their souls, they will promptly be cast into the violent winds of the fury and anger of the living God. Their blessings shall be turned into curses. Their miserable lives will be filled up with despair and desolation. They will find no peace, no rest, and no refuge because they have refused to respond to the Captain’s order to correct the course of their hearts, to realign themselves upon the course of true righteousness. The peaceful sea will churn into raging waves of the fury of God’s anger. Their lives will be cast upon the jagged rocks of despondency.
When church members refuse to hear the messages and warnings of God, which go forth to correct the course of drifting hearts and lives, and commands of the Captain fall upon unresponsive hearts, it is a positive symptom that the church needs revival. When the dispatched Word comes knocking upon one’s heart and he will not receive it, because he insists it is for the sinner next door, that individual is in need of revival. When church members are indifferent and unresponsive to the preached Word, there is no doubt the church needs revival. “Lay to” your hearts and hear the Captain of your souls!
Part III: The Unwilling Symptom
“Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?” (I Chron. 29:5) This question was presented by King David to the nation of Israel so that the House of God would be built with willing hearts. The service to which he asked them to devote themselves of its very nature required spiritually surrendered hearts so that all would be absolutely acceptable unto God. Godly service requires purity of heart and a dedicated life that has purposed to be found pleasing unto God. One must be willing in all holy things for His sake.
Too often, as congregations assemble, there are those who do not attend because they have unwilling hearts toward God. Even among those who do attend, there are those who are unwilling to receive the Word of God, unwilling to respond to the Word of God, unwilling to obey the Word of God, and unwilling to participate with God and the Lord Jesus in the Kingdom work. They are unwilling to be saved, unwilling to be baptized, unwilling to join the church, unwilling to pray, unwilling to sing, unwilling to read and study, unwilling to repent, unwilling to give, unwilling to have a willing heart, and unwilling to change their character and life style. They are unwilling because they know not God, or because they are in rebellion against Him. An unwilling heart is a symptom of serious spiritual problems.
Revival in the times of King Jehoshaphat was characterized by men’s hearts being lifted up in the ways of the LORD, and there was a willingness of the people to offer themselves sacrificially unto God. True revival will come when arrogant pride is turned into godly humbleness, when hearts pray and seek the face of God, when believers offer themselves as living sacrifices unto the LORD, when rebellion turns to obedience, when the unwilling are changed to the willing and cry out “Hear am I, LORD, what would You have of me,” and when hearts are made willing in the ways of the LORD. When the Spirit flourishes within the heart, the soul becomes anxious towards God. The focus of life becomes “not my will but Thine, O LORD! Self-centeredness will become lost in Christ-centeredness. If the members of a church are not willing to consecrate themselves unto the Lord Jesus who died for them, the church is in need of REVIVAL!
Part IV: The Worldly Symptom
The Apostle Paul wrote: “...Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed...” (II Tim. 4:10) These words have too frequently been the heart’s companion of a devoted pastor. There is a tremendous sense of helplessness to watch church members forsake the paths of righteousness to run after their love for the things and the people of this world. Yet, it is not so much a forsaking and departing from the pastor as it is from the Lord Jesus Christ. The truth is, they forsake Jesus and depart from His presence.
The Apostle James unveiled this forsaking and departing as spiritual adultery when he wrote: “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4) When believers turn from their love of God and chase a love for this world, they are guilty of spiritual adultery. Their love affair with the elements of this world places them in the dangerous predicament of being an enemy of God. This by holy necessity calls down upon the guilty chastisement and suffering that it may bring forth repentance with godly sorrow. A church can be equally guilty.
The Apostle John instructs: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (I John 2:15,16) One who abandons his love of God purposes to fill up his lust of the flesh, his lust of the eyes, and his pride of life, these being the driving forces in the love of this world. God’s love cannot and will not co-exist with love for this world. One’s heart and a church must cling to one and abandon the other.
When a church forsakes the spiritual for the worldly, it becomes an enemy of God and is in severe need of REVIVAL. Church members ought to examine the driving forces of their hearts. Is the Spirit motivating the heart to spirituality, or is the sinfulness of the flesh demanding the fruits of worldly lusts? If a church has abandoned the ways of righteousness in favor of emotional rationalizations to be like the world, then that church is in urgent need of REVIVAL!!
Part V: The Prayer Deficiency Symptom
Prayer is that special privilege ordained by God by which His children are able to fellowship and communicate with Him. God is not impressed with the outpouring of theatrical humanistic religionism. Instead, God bends His ear and heart toward the sweet tears of a quite, humbled, obedient heart. It is not the loud musical pomp and ceremonial parade that draws His attention. It is the sound of tears flowing down the sides of Spirit-filled hearts that makes the greatest impact in the heart of our Heavenly Father. It is a gracious thing for God to listen to prayers, for He is not under any obligation to do so.
We are instructed in the Holy Scriptures to be “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” (Eph. 6:18) Also, we are to “pray without ceasing.” (I Thess. 5:17) That is, faithful believers and churches are to be obedient in constant, persistent, untiring, sleepless prayer under the searching of the Holy Spirit. A church is suffering the Prayer Deficiency Symptom when it habitually neglects to seek the ear of God through the duty and privilege of constant prayer.
If the child of God relaxes in his prayers toward the Father, Satan and the demons of Hell will triumphantly succeed in ensnaring him. The greatest enemies of the believers are not seen by the eyes but are cloaked in spiritual darkness stalking and awaiting vulnerable prey. When the believer falters on his power rejuvenating prayer life, he falls victim to the roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. The believer must be ever vigilant upon bended knees for the devourer is ever crouching near. A church must not neglect the security of prayer; if it does, there is a desperate need of REVIVAL.
If one’s life seems dashed upon the rocks, it is because he has neglected the security of prayer. If one has no need of prayer, it is because he does not know God. If one has no power with God or in His work, it is because he has not exercised his duty and privilege to speak into the ear of God. If a church is not burdened for the lost souls in the fields around it, it is because it is not hearing the tender voice of God in prayer. If a church is deficient in heart wrenching prayers before God, it needs REVIVAL. Prayer is the very lifeline of a church’s healthiness and continual existence for generations.
Part VI: The Neglecting of the Word of God Symptom
Psalm 119
2. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
9. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
16. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
59. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
67. Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
97. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
130. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
133. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
140. Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
161. ...my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
162. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
“…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:25-27) If a church is not washing regularly with the Word of God, it stinks of sin, and it is in grave need of REVIVAL!
Part VII: The Lack of Generosity Symptom
“Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves...” (II Cor. 8:1-3)
Few church members understand that one of the graces of true Christian character is the grace of LIBERAL giving. It is an exhibition of the indwelling Christ. God gave us an example by the giving of His Son for our salvation. Jesus gave Himself as the Lamb slain unto death to purchase forgiveness of sin and eternal life for every believer. Every genuine believer is acutely aware that he has been on the receiving end of the greatest act of the grace of giving. The saints unsurprisingly have the same love of giving as that of the Father and the Son. The grace of giving is part of the saint’s spiritual DNA.
Jesus said the poor widow with only two mites to put into the treasury had cast more in than all the rich folk, who gave only a little token gift. “For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury (poverty) hath cast in all the living that she had.”(Lk. 21:4) Would to God such great love for the Kingdom of God could be found in the churches today! This type of godly giving requires sacrifice. King David said: “...neither will I offer burnt-offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing.”(II Sam. 24:24) The problem is - few are willing to give sacrificially. Some keep their eyes on the church budget, giving only enough to ensure it is met. Some give their little token gift quarter, whether they need to or not. Some refuse to give. Some “can’t afford to give.” Some just “ain’t gonna give to that there preacher.”
It is written: “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”(II Cor. 9:6) Also: “For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”(Lk. 6:38) Everyone receives in the same manner in which he is giving. If church members are lacking in the God-like grace of generosity, then the church needs REVIVAL!
Webster defines syndrome as “a number of symptoms occurring together and characterizing a specific disease.”
A church becomes infected with the Lullaby Syndrome when the members surrender to the slumbering tunes of indifference and lukewarm hearts. They are lulled into unproductive apathy in the work to which the Lord Jesus has called them. Their slumbering eyes lose all direction and purpose in the cause of Christ. The membership becomes irritable like little children fighting sleep, and nothing appeases their inner agitations. Petty things become sources of divisions.
In Rev. 3 the Laodicean church is an example of a church infected with the Lullaby Syndrome. Jesus says to them, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Their state of sleeping in “lala land” while having a total disregard to the spiritual warfare around them makes the Lord of Glory sick to the point of vomiting. It is an abandonment of the living faith delivered unto the prophets, the apostles, and the saints of old. It is falling asleep while on guard duty as the enemies of the truth stalk the church in the darkest of times.
Paul writes: “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light...Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” (Eph. 5:14,16) Again he writes: “...knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” (Rom. 13:11,12) Hear the alarm! The enemy is upon us! There is far too much dialogue at the well, instead of more laboring in the fields that makes one thirsty for the water IN the well.
Revival means to make alive again. When pastors and church members have been lulled into a spiritual sleep by the soft lyrics of apathy, there is a desperate need for an awakening, a making alive again. When the eyes of the heart become dim and full of sleep, and the sense of urgency is all gone, there is an overwhelming need to hear the alarm for REVIVAL. Awake; revive in the cause of Christ!!!
Part II: The Unresponsive Symptom
“If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.” (Mal. 2:2) “...the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.” (Jer. 12:11) “...they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger... yet he laid it not to heart.” (Is. 42:24,25)
The Hebrew word rendered “lay to” means to set, make ready, to give serious attention to. It is used in a nautical sense to say that the heart has drifted off course and desperately needs to be set back on a steady course towards the right port of destination.
When disciples of the Lord Jesus allow the uncertain winds of carnality to fill their sails, they are quickly blown off course to wander in the dark and stormy depths of ungodliness. If they will not hear the words of the Captain, if they will not quickly and rightly respond to the commands and warnings of the Keeper of their souls, they will promptly be cast into the violent winds of the fury and anger of the living God. Their blessings shall be turned into curses. Their miserable lives will be filled up with despair and desolation. They will find no peace, no rest, and no refuge because they have refused to respond to the Captain’s order to correct the course of their hearts, to realign themselves upon the course of true righteousness. The peaceful sea will churn into raging waves of the fury of God’s anger. Their lives will be cast upon the jagged rocks of despondency.
When church members refuse to hear the messages and warnings of God, which go forth to correct the course of drifting hearts and lives, and commands of the Captain fall upon unresponsive hearts, it is a positive symptom that the church needs revival. When the dispatched Word comes knocking upon one’s heart and he will not receive it, because he insists it is for the sinner next door, that individual is in need of revival. When church members are indifferent and unresponsive to the preached Word, there is no doubt the church needs revival. “Lay to” your hearts and hear the Captain of your souls!
Part III: The Unwilling Symptom
“Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?” (I Chron. 29:5) This question was presented by King David to the nation of Israel so that the House of God would be built with willing hearts. The service to which he asked them to devote themselves of its very nature required spiritually surrendered hearts so that all would be absolutely acceptable unto God. Godly service requires purity of heart and a dedicated life that has purposed to be found pleasing unto God. One must be willing in all holy things for His sake.
Too often, as congregations assemble, there are those who do not attend because they have unwilling hearts toward God. Even among those who do attend, there are those who are unwilling to receive the Word of God, unwilling to respond to the Word of God, unwilling to obey the Word of God, and unwilling to participate with God and the Lord Jesus in the Kingdom work. They are unwilling to be saved, unwilling to be baptized, unwilling to join the church, unwilling to pray, unwilling to sing, unwilling to read and study, unwilling to repent, unwilling to give, unwilling to have a willing heart, and unwilling to change their character and life style. They are unwilling because they know not God, or because they are in rebellion against Him. An unwilling heart is a symptom of serious spiritual problems.
Revival in the times of King Jehoshaphat was characterized by men’s hearts being lifted up in the ways of the LORD, and there was a willingness of the people to offer themselves sacrificially unto God. True revival will come when arrogant pride is turned into godly humbleness, when hearts pray and seek the face of God, when believers offer themselves as living sacrifices unto the LORD, when rebellion turns to obedience, when the unwilling are changed to the willing and cry out “Hear am I, LORD, what would You have of me,” and when hearts are made willing in the ways of the LORD. When the Spirit flourishes within the heart, the soul becomes anxious towards God. The focus of life becomes “not my will but Thine, O LORD! Self-centeredness will become lost in Christ-centeredness. If the members of a church are not willing to consecrate themselves unto the Lord Jesus who died for them, the church is in need of REVIVAL!
Part IV: The Worldly Symptom
The Apostle Paul wrote: “...Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed...” (II Tim. 4:10) These words have too frequently been the heart’s companion of a devoted pastor. There is a tremendous sense of helplessness to watch church members forsake the paths of righteousness to run after their love for the things and the people of this world. Yet, it is not so much a forsaking and departing from the pastor as it is from the Lord Jesus Christ. The truth is, they forsake Jesus and depart from His presence.
The Apostle James unveiled this forsaking and departing as spiritual adultery when he wrote: “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4) When believers turn from their love of God and chase a love for this world, they are guilty of spiritual adultery. Their love affair with the elements of this world places them in the dangerous predicament of being an enemy of God. This by holy necessity calls down upon the guilty chastisement and suffering that it may bring forth repentance with godly sorrow. A church can be equally guilty.
The Apostle John instructs: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (I John 2:15,16) One who abandons his love of God purposes to fill up his lust of the flesh, his lust of the eyes, and his pride of life, these being the driving forces in the love of this world. God’s love cannot and will not co-exist with love for this world. One’s heart and a church must cling to one and abandon the other.
When a church forsakes the spiritual for the worldly, it becomes an enemy of God and is in severe need of REVIVAL. Church members ought to examine the driving forces of their hearts. Is the Spirit motivating the heart to spirituality, or is the sinfulness of the flesh demanding the fruits of worldly lusts? If a church has abandoned the ways of righteousness in favor of emotional rationalizations to be like the world, then that church is in urgent need of REVIVAL!!
Part V: The Prayer Deficiency Symptom
Prayer is that special privilege ordained by God by which His children are able to fellowship and communicate with Him. God is not impressed with the outpouring of theatrical humanistic religionism. Instead, God bends His ear and heart toward the sweet tears of a quite, humbled, obedient heart. It is not the loud musical pomp and ceremonial parade that draws His attention. It is the sound of tears flowing down the sides of Spirit-filled hearts that makes the greatest impact in the heart of our Heavenly Father. It is a gracious thing for God to listen to prayers, for He is not under any obligation to do so.
We are instructed in the Holy Scriptures to be “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” (Eph. 6:18) Also, we are to “pray without ceasing.” (I Thess. 5:17) That is, faithful believers and churches are to be obedient in constant, persistent, untiring, sleepless prayer under the searching of the Holy Spirit. A church is suffering the Prayer Deficiency Symptom when it habitually neglects to seek the ear of God through the duty and privilege of constant prayer.
If the child of God relaxes in his prayers toward the Father, Satan and the demons of Hell will triumphantly succeed in ensnaring him. The greatest enemies of the believers are not seen by the eyes but are cloaked in spiritual darkness stalking and awaiting vulnerable prey. When the believer falters on his power rejuvenating prayer life, he falls victim to the roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. The believer must be ever vigilant upon bended knees for the devourer is ever crouching near. A church must not neglect the security of prayer; if it does, there is a desperate need of REVIVAL.
If one’s life seems dashed upon the rocks, it is because he has neglected the security of prayer. If one has no need of prayer, it is because he does not know God. If one has no power with God or in His work, it is because he has not exercised his duty and privilege to speak into the ear of God. If a church is not burdened for the lost souls in the fields around it, it is because it is not hearing the tender voice of God in prayer. If a church is deficient in heart wrenching prayers before God, it needs REVIVAL. Prayer is the very lifeline of a church’s healthiness and continual existence for generations.
Part VI: The Neglecting of the Word of God Symptom
Psalm 119
2. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
9. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
11. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
16. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
59. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
67. Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
97. O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
130. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
133. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
140. Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
161. ...my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
162. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
“…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:25-27) If a church is not washing regularly with the Word of God, it stinks of sin, and it is in grave need of REVIVAL!
Part VII: The Lack of Generosity Symptom
“Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves...” (II Cor. 8:1-3)
Few church members understand that one of the graces of true Christian character is the grace of LIBERAL giving. It is an exhibition of the indwelling Christ. God gave us an example by the giving of His Son for our salvation. Jesus gave Himself as the Lamb slain unto death to purchase forgiveness of sin and eternal life for every believer. Every genuine believer is acutely aware that he has been on the receiving end of the greatest act of the grace of giving. The saints unsurprisingly have the same love of giving as that of the Father and the Son. The grace of giving is part of the saint’s spiritual DNA.
Jesus said the poor widow with only two mites to put into the treasury had cast more in than all the rich folk, who gave only a little token gift. “For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury (poverty) hath cast in all the living that she had.”(Lk. 21:4) Would to God such great love for the Kingdom of God could be found in the churches today! This type of godly giving requires sacrifice. King David said: “...neither will I offer burnt-offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing.”(II Sam. 24:24) The problem is - few are willing to give sacrificially. Some keep their eyes on the church budget, giving only enough to ensure it is met. Some give their little token gift quarter, whether they need to or not. Some refuse to give. Some “can’t afford to give.” Some just “ain’t gonna give to that there preacher.”
It is written: “He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”(II Cor. 9:6) Also: “For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”(Lk. 6:38) Everyone receives in the same manner in which he is giving. If church members are lacking in the God-like grace of generosity, then the church needs REVIVAL!